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Strange lightning experience

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Eric Krewson:
I was living in an old farmhouse in the 70s, I was supposed to be studying for an upgrade exam at work but had been lured into watching some stupid game show on my B&W TV.

A storm was passing through and a bolt of lightning hit about 15 feet from the house, it ran in on main line from the meter and popped the TV like a flashbulb. The bolt also dug about a 3' crater next to house. The meter was blown about 20ft up the hill from the house.

I had the power restored to the house but didn't buy a new TV, I studied, passed my exams and moved up at the plant.

At the time my son was in the first grade and couldn't get past D in his ABCs, he could however sing every commercial on TV verbatim. He was diagnosed with brain damage, fitted with glasses he didn't need and listed as mentally retarded.

I thought this was all hogwash and took matters into my own hands. I left the TV out and started giving my son comic books. I would read them to him and encourage him to read along, soon he was reading the comic books by himself. Next it was children's books then adult books. My so called brain damaged kid was reading on a high school level when he was 8 or 9.

I left the TV out for 5 years, as a family we sat down and read our books in the evening for entertainment.

The kid turned out OK, after a stint in the Air Force he went on to Auburn and finished second in his class.

I still feel the lightning strike was a bit of divine intervention to get things back on track for me and my family.

bjrogg:
One night my wife and I were laying in bed listening to the thunder from a lightning storm. Suddenly the air in our bedroom started to make a crackling noise followed immediately by a thunder boom. We both agreed that was enough electricity in the bedroom. I still remember trying to flatten myself out as much as I could with the crackling in the air just above us.
Bjrogg

BowEd:
It seems many of us have been lucky or the wiser from an experience with lightning.
Many times while disking in the fields I should of packed it in and went to the yard with inclement weather coming but wanted to finish the field before a rain.Always thought I was grounded good with my tires to be safe.Feel fortunate.I always felt it was bound to happen sometime though.
Around here one of the tallest trees is a cottonwood.80' tall most times or more.We had one take a hit by lightning on our yard.I remember it happening like an explosion from a bomb.Chunks of wood of pretty good size were well over 100 yards away.
My neighbor lived on the end of an electrical service line.Lightning struck onto the electrical line one early morning.It blew out the fuse box on the yard pole and in his house while they were having breakfast the toaster vibrated and walked across their table like a robot sizzling and then popping with a loud pop and stopping.....lol.....If that don't wake you up nothing will.
Another neighbor was out in his field walking checking newly planted crops and lightning knocked him out striking next to him.He did'nt suffer any complications from it though but had a healthy respect for it later on.

Parnell:
Living in FL, lightning becomes part of life, like snow to northern winter.  Never have seen it roll down hill...but there would need to be hills first for that to happen! ;D

It's so frequent down here in the wet season that I think people start to become lazy regarding safety and getting to cover well before its on them. 

Hawkdancer:
There are stories out here about ball lightning getting on the noses of cattle, and starting stampedes.  We often get hot storms with constant flashes, had one at Turkey Camp in the Black Hills this spring, lasted about 5 - 6 hours.  When you feel the hair raising on the back of your neck, and your arms, hit the deck - it is on the way!  Hear it, fear it; see it, flee it!  Get off the mountain early, like noon!
Hawkdancer

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